


Decisions

by JediFighterPilot2727



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, I just want someone to shower Lena with the praise and guidance she deserves, Pre-Relationship, Tumblr Prompt, a take on the Cat/Lena mentor relationship, and not end up betraying her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 15:12:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11854206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JediFighterPilot2727/pseuds/JediFighterPilot2727
Summary: Tumblr prompt - Just in case you're taking prompts: Lena, Cat, and Kara. Lena finds out Kara is Supergirl by accident, and is very upset. She bumps into Cat at a glamorous benefit dinner (Kara is there, sad puppy, but they don't talk) and Cat drops some wisdom on Lena that leads her to understand (if not forgive just yet).“In instances like this, you have to weigh your options. Which is more important to you? Your relationship with Kara? Or your frustration at being lied to?”





	Decisions

“It isn’t about trust, you know.”

The voice at her elbow startles her, drawing her gaze away from Kara and to the figure standing at her left.

Cat Grant is standing there, glass of champagne clutched lightly in her fingers. Lena follows her gaze to see that the other woman is also watching Kara, only without the brooding pout that she knows she herself has.

“I’m sorry?” She raises an eyebrow and fixes the older woman with a disinterested expression - unimpressed with having her musings interrupted. She came to this party to distract herself; she didn’t expect to see Kara, and she certainly didn’t anticipate having to deal with Cat Grant.

She’s in no mood to deal with conniving members of the media.

But Cat’s face is softer than usual, and the sharp lines that Lena usually associates with the media mogul are replaced with a look of gentle concern.

“It isn’t about trust.” Cat repeats with conviction. “Her not telling you.”

“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.” Lena holds, although she’s pretty sure she knows exactly what the other woman is referring to. 

Just because she’s upset doesn’t mean she’s going to betray Kara’s secret.

Cat rolls her eyes.

“Please, you and I both know that little Miss Sunshine over there moonlights as the caped crusader and you’re upset because she didn’t tell you.”

She searches Cat’s face for any hint of trickery, any indication that she’s working off a hunch and simply looking to Lena for confirmation. She sees nothing but concern, however, so she lets her shoulders sag.

“She told you.” The words sting as she says them, because of course Kara told her boss before she told her best friend.

Alleged best friend.

“Ha! Of course not. In fact, when I confronted her about it last year, she showed up at my office with some sort of optical illusion doppleganger to prove that she isn’t Supergirl. But once you see it, it’s impossible to to unsee.”

Lena ponders that for a long moment.

“And you’re okay with that? Kara denying the truth right to your face?”

“I’m not saying it doesn’t hurt my feelings, I mean I’m her mentor - both as Kara and Supergirl - but I realize that she needs to keep them separate. For her own sanity.”

Lena is silent, pondering, and eventually Cat speaks again. 

“Why does it bother you so much?”

She feels a gentle tug, the same that she has felt time and again for Lillian, and also with Rhea - that longing for mentorship and guidance. She wants to draw back, to pull in on herself; but Kara trusts Cat, and she so desperately need direction - if only to keep herself from self destructing.

“Everyone is always hiding something from me, or using me, or abandoning me. . . I though Kara was different.”

“Hmm, you do realize that you’re doing exactly what Kara was afraid you would do when you found out; pushing her away, hurt and upset that she didn’t tell you sooner.”

“I AM hurt and and upset!” Lena protests, but it sounds weak even to her. “Do you know how I found out the truth?”

Cat shakes her head.

“Kara wouldn’t give me the details.”

“I kissed her.” 

If Cat is shocked by that little detail, it doesn’t show on her face. 

“I kissed her, and barely a second later she pushes me away, stuttering about the truth and who she has to tell me something. And then she just stands there, like she's trying so hard to find the words. And my I don’t know what she’s about to say, but I have an idea - that she likes being my friend but she isn’t gay, that I’ve been misreading signals . . . that, I could have handled; that, I was prepared for.”

Lena hesitates and looks up, only to find Cat watching her intently, listening without judgement. Taking a deep breath, she continues. 

“And then she just starts unbuttoning her shirt. Which, given the circumstances, is very confusing. Only the super suit is there underneath, and she’s refusing to look at me . . . It takes me a minute, for everything to work itself out in my brain, that two of my only friends . . .” She trails off for a moment. “It just hurts to think that I had shared everything with someone who couldn’t even be bothered to tell me who she actually is. I trusted her - I thought she trusted me!” She chews her lip. "So I told her that I had a meeting to go to and I sent her away.”

“And you haven’t answered any of her phone calls or text messages since.”

She feels a pang of guilt at Cat’s accusing tone, but she tries not to look scolded as she meets the older woman’s gaze. She doesn’t respond, simply waits for Cat to weigh the details.

It’s nearly impossible not to look away; Cat’s eyes are narrowed, and she studies Lena as if she’s trying to find the most scathing way to tell her that her shoes don’t match her dress. But she doesn’t back down, she’s dealt with worse than Cat Grant all her life.

Finally, Cat speaks, her tone almost dismissive.

“So let me make sure that I’m understanding you correctly. Even though you’re a certified genius, and you rival even myself in the realm of CEO’s that completely terrify their their board members; you still lack enough confidence to ever consider that perhaps Kara’s inability to tell you her secret had to do with her own insecurities and absolutely nothing to do with how much she trusts you?”

Lena shakes her head slowly, and Cat rolls her eyes.

“Really, you two are just perfect for each other, the both of you out there doing amazing things but still so afraid of what the other really thinks of you. And honestly what has the world come to that I now have to play matchmaker? Don’t I have better things to do with my time?” She flutters a hand. "Well, my new assistant finally learned how to deliver a decent latte, so that frees up at least half an hour.” She pauses, as if she actually contemplating the logistics of her new role as self-proclaimed love guru; and Lena is left unsure of what exactly she’s supposed to say in this situation, so she stays silent, arching an eyebrow pointedly. It’s a long moment before Cat seems to remember that she’s still there.

“What are you still doing here? Go talk to her, settle things before I have to replace the floor of my balcony from all her pacing.” She turns Lena towards the main floor of the gala where Kara is staring forlornly at the potsticker dangling between her fingertips.

“That’s it? That’s your grand advice? I’m just supposed to forget that she hid her identity for so long?”

“In instances like this, you have to weigh your options. Which is more important to you? Your relationship with Kara? Or your frustration at being lied to?”

As she watches Kara, she feels a sorrow made worse by distance. She’s hurt, of course, but she misses her best friend.

“Now, we should do lunch sometime. I’ll have my assistant call yours and set something up.” 

Without waiting for a response, Cat turns and saunters away, only stopping when Lena calls out after her.

“Kara was right, you know, you are the master at backhanded compliments." 

Cat doesn’t turn, but Lena would swear she sees the older woman shake her head before she resumes her stalk out of the ballroom.

Once Cat is gone, there’s nothing to distract her from her own thoughts - at least nothing that doesn’t involve staring pensively out at the crowd; and every time she does that, she finds herself watching Kara. So instead, she she excuses herself to the bar and flags down own of the servers for a glass of merlot.

She thinks about what Cat said, thinks about how she feels; but she’s had days to figure out how she feels, and she knows deep down what she wants, she’s just afraid.

Only that’s ridiculous, because she’s Lena fucking Luthor, and she isn’t scared of anything.

Not her mother, not hostile board members, not assassins. 

Except her best friend not trusting her, or rejecting her. 

Of that, she’s fucking terrified. 

But she swallows her fear with the last of her wine, tossing back the half glass and rising to her feet. As she heads back towards the main room of the gala, she’s struck with the thought that Kara might have been called away by her . . . alter ego duties, and she feels the dread in her stomach swell. If she doesn’t do this now she may never -

Only Kara is still there, still staring at the various appetizers spread out in front of her. Lena takes a deep breath and begins weaving her way through the couples swaying on the dance floor. She’s surprised that Kara doesn’t notice her coming, but the other woman jumps when Lena touches her shoulder. 

“Lena!” Kara fumbles her glasses back up her nose and Lena can’t help but think about how adorable she looks. “I didn’t realize you were here tonight! No, I take that back. I knew you were here, I saw you, I just - I was trying to keep my distance, I didn’t know if you would want to talk to me after - I mean you haven’t been answering my calls -“

“Kara.” Lena interrupts her softly, smiling because Kara is still her Kara, regardless if she’s Supergirl too. “The other day, when I kissed you, did you pull back because you didn’t want to kiss me? Or because you need to tell me about your side job?”

Kara’s eyes flicker to her lips.

“Oh, Rao; Lena, I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, I just didn’t want to mislead -“

Lena doesn’t let her finish, instead she takes advantage of the extra height her heels give her and leans forward, tracing Kara’ jaw with gentle finger tips and tugging her into a searing kiss. 

It’s longer than their first, but still short; because Lena is mindful of the fact that they're at a public event and that there are paparazzi around every corner. 

Still, her heart feels infinitely lighter, and as she begins to lose herself in Kara’s hooded eyes she knows, in that moment, that she made the right choice. 

Her relationship with Kara is more important to her than any lingering frustration over hurt feelings will ever be.

“Lee, I’m so sorry, I never wanted to keep it from you, I just-” 

Lena stops her again, this time with her thumb - tracing along the lines of Kara’s lip.

“I appreciate that we need to have a long conversation,” She lets her eyes follow her thumb for a moment before smirking. “about a few thing actually.” Kara grins, and oh if Lena thought she felt giddy after that kiss. . . 

“But maybe here isn’t the best place.” She finishes, and Kara glances around the room, seeming to realize that they aren’t alone. “But . . .” She draws Kara’s face back to hers with a gentle finger. “I hear that L-Corp’s rooftop looks beautiful this time of night.”

Kara’s face lights up, and she leans forward until her lips are nearly brushing Lena’s ear. 

“Are you going to let me fly you?”

“Of course, what’s the fun in having a superhero best friend if she never flies you anywhere?”

Kara giggles and drags her towards the stairs, neither of them noticing Cat Grant watching them from across the room with a knowing smirk.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on Tumblr -JediFighterPilot2727


End file.
